The law reform not only spares the life of a prominent tycoon but also facilitates improved extradition processes for corruption suspects.
Vietnam Takes Groundbreaking Step by Abolishing Death Penalty for Major Crimes
Vietnam Takes Groundbreaking Step by Abolishing Death Penalty for Major Crimes
The historic amendment aligns Vietnam's penal code with international human rights standards and aims to enhance anti-corruption efforts.
In a landmark decision, Vietnam has officially abolished the death penalty for eight criminal offenses, marking a significant shift towards aligning with international human rights standards. On Wednesday, the Vietnamese Parliament unanimously approved amendments to its penal code, eliminating capital punishment for serious crimes including embezzlement, espionage, and attempts to undermine the government, as well as for state infrastructure sabotage. Additionally, the ruling affects other offenses such as counterfeiting medicines, drug trafficking, bribery, and waging wars against the nation. Offenders previously facing death sentences for these crimes will now face life incarceration as the most severe penalty.
Notably, this legislative change benefits Truong My Lan, a well-known real estate tycoon who was sentenced to death last year in a major $12 billion fraud case. In light of this reform, Nguyen Minh Duc, a deputy chair of the parliamentary committee on national defense and security, emphasized that the amendments would bolster Vietnam's ongoing anticorruption initiatives. He pointed out that some countries have previously hesitated to extradite fugitives sought by Vietnam, largely due to concerns over the capital punishment practices in the country.
This week, lawmakers are also deliberating on an extradition law to further streamline the process for repatriating fugitives. Vietnam's record on capital punishment has already seen a major reduction in applicable offenses; whereas the death penalty was once permissible for 44 crimes in 1985, it now applies to just ten, including rioting and rape. Experts like Nguyen Ngoc Chi, a former law department deputy head at Vietnam National University, anticipate that the death penalty will eventually be completely abolished in Vietnam, reflecting a progressive stance on criminal justice reform.
As the nation moves forward, this initiative signals a commitment to reform and an effort to enhance its global standing in human rights practices, offering a promising view towards a more humane legal framework.
Notably, this legislative change benefits Truong My Lan, a well-known real estate tycoon who was sentenced to death last year in a major $12 billion fraud case. In light of this reform, Nguyen Minh Duc, a deputy chair of the parliamentary committee on national defense and security, emphasized that the amendments would bolster Vietnam's ongoing anticorruption initiatives. He pointed out that some countries have previously hesitated to extradite fugitives sought by Vietnam, largely due to concerns over the capital punishment practices in the country.
This week, lawmakers are also deliberating on an extradition law to further streamline the process for repatriating fugitives. Vietnam's record on capital punishment has already seen a major reduction in applicable offenses; whereas the death penalty was once permissible for 44 crimes in 1985, it now applies to just ten, including rioting and rape. Experts like Nguyen Ngoc Chi, a former law department deputy head at Vietnam National University, anticipate that the death penalty will eventually be completely abolished in Vietnam, reflecting a progressive stance on criminal justice reform.
As the nation moves forward, this initiative signals a commitment to reform and an effort to enhance its global standing in human rights practices, offering a promising view towards a more humane legal framework.
